DownTown Mystic – Maybe Love’s A Crime

DownTown Mystic Brings Vintage Rock’n’Roll Spirit Into the Present on “Maybe Love’s A Crime”

DownTown Mystic is once again releasing “Maybe Love’s A Crime”, a new single which demonstrates that there are still many ways of keeping the classic rock’n’roll sound current. Coming after the Mystic Highway Road Trip EP, the song takes an unexpected direction yet stays in line with the vintage-meets-modern sound that has become central to DownTown Mystic. Based on the traditions of American rock, the music has that worn-in quality typical of vintage guitars, analog recording and a natural instinct for songs that tell a story. Although there is a clear appreciation for the golden era of rock, “Maybe Love’s A Crime” is not simply an exercise in nostalgia. Rather, DownTown Mystic uses those familiar sounds as a basis for something that sounds immediate, melodic and up-to-date.

The balance is closely linked to Robert Allen, the American rocker responsible for the DownTown Mystic name, since his enthusiasm for traditional recording is largely what gives the project its special character. The kind of music he produces lies between the storytelling styles of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen and the more rugged, energetic atmosphere connected with Buffalo Springfield and Rockpile. Moreover, there is a notable group of musicians who have contributed to the overall sound of DownTown Mystic, among them drummer Steve Holley, who has worked with Paul McCartney and Wings, Elton John and Ian Hunter, as well as bassist Paul Page. Max Weinberg and Garry Tallent from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band have also taken part in the project, adding years of rock’n’roll experience to the music. This distinguished background is one of the reasons why the recordings have such a strong sense of rhythm, character and authenticity.

The reason that “Maybe Love’s A Crime” succeeds is that DownTown Mystic knows that excellent rock songs don’t have to keep up with every current trend in order to remain relevant. There’s a sense of confidence in relying on the guitars, the rhythm section, the vocals and the songwriting to carry the song, while the analog production gives all of it a warmth and a tangible quality which can be absent from recordings that have been over-polished. Robert Allen has over the years built up a collection of work which has been used in more than 250 television programmes and films, including instances linked with The Voice and American Pickers, as well as on networks such as Fox, ESPN, MTV, USA, CNN, CMTV and Discovery. With this new single, DownTown Mystic is carrying on that path by offering another example of “Rock’n’Roll spoken here” – something that is familiar to long-time fans of rock music but at the same time fresh enough to serve as a reminder of why these sounds are still important.

The fact that ‘Maybe Love’s A Crime’ shows classic rock’n’roll doesn’t have to look back in order to remain alive is proven by DownTown Mystic, who achieves this by using vintage guitars, timeless storytelling and the warm analog sound and makes them sound perfectly suited for today.